Device for use on a ski pole handle, in particular for alpine poles

ABSTRACT

A device for use on ski pole handles ( 1 ), in particular for alpine poles, in order to contribute to keeping the handle ( 1 ) against the hand of the user, comprising an element ( 2 ) having an attachment portion ( 2 ′) which is fastened to the handle ( 1 ) and a holding portion ( 2 ″) protruding outwardly from the handle ( 1 ). The element ( 2 ) comprises, as a continuation of the holding portion ( 2 ′) mainly opposite of the attachment portion ( 2 ′), two in the use position of the pole downwardly protruding bail portions ( 2 ′″) having flexural elasticity, and being shaped such that they together completely or partly can surround an area near the wrist of the user. Thereby a wrist strap can be omitted. If the pole during use from some reason gets struck, for instance in that the disc is hooked onto some kind of object, the bail portions ( 2 ′″) may easily be torn loose from the hand or the glove, whereby the user may avoid damages resulting from that the hand or glove is not released from the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for use on a ski pole handle, in particular for alpine poles, in order to contribute to keeping the handle against the hand of the user, comprising an element having an attachment portion which is fastened to the handle and a holding portion protruding outwardly from the handle.

[0002] A well known problem within ski sport, and in particular during competition, is that a skier who looses the grip around a pole handle usually gets problems in reestablishing the grip. This is due to that the pole will be hanging in the wrist strap, with the handle lower than the hand. The condition is of little importance during practice or for a ski tourer, but it may be of great significance during competition. For the competition skier the loss of grip about the handle may influence the final result adversely, and, as regards alpine competitions, in the worst case lead to interrupted competition.

PRIOR ART

[0003] Previously known pole handles which secure that the grip can be held exist. These handles comprise elements which more or less prevent the pole in falling down if the gripping ceases. An example is shown in DE Patent 2506221, where the handle is equipped with an upper plate which during gripping is situated above the hand of the user. As the handle is designed particularly for mounting of the plate, the plate cannot be mounted on other types than the handle shown. DE Patent 2510608 describes another type of ski pole handle having a bail in front of the gripping portion of the handle and integral with the handle, whereby the fingers of the user, except from the thumb, during use are situated inside of the bail. Also in this case the pole must be equipped with a particularly designed handle.

[0004] Another pole handle appears from NO Patent 300308. By this solution is made possible to mount a separate element in order to contribute to maintaining of the grip, on most types of pole handles. The element comprises an attachment portion that can be mounted on a pole handle by use of an aperture for a wrist strap, and a holding portion which protrudes outwardly from the handle. It is, however, presupposed that the handle is equipped with a wrist strap, as the holding portion alone does not safeguard against loosing the pole during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] By the present invention has been provided a device which permits that the wrist strap presupposed to be used on the pole handle according to NO Patent 300308 may be omitted, and the device comprises, as a continuation of the holding portion mainly oppositely of the attachment portion, two in the use position of the pole downwardly protruding bail portions having flexural elasticity, and being shaped such that they together completely or partly can surround an area near the wrist of the user.

[0006] During insertion of the hand for gripping the handle the hand is pushed in between the bail portions, whereby the lower ends are pressed elastically outwardly relatively to each other, wherupon they completely or partly surround the wrist of the user. The hand can be released either by moving the hand downwardly, whereby the lower ends of the bail portions are pressed elastically away from each other and provide space for pulling the hand out through the opening between the lower ends of the bail portions, or the hand can be pulled loose in a direction oppositely of the direction of insertion, with a certain flexing of the bail portions away from each other.

[0007] The bail portions may approximately have the shape of a ring being open in the lower part.

[0008] If the pole during use from some reason gets stuck, for instance in that the disc is hooked onto some kind of object, the bail portions may easily be tom loose from the hand or the glove, whereby the user may avoid damages resulting from that the hand or glove is not released from the handle, as the case may be by use of a conventional wrist strap.

[0009] The bail portions may have a substantially uniform width, and are in a suitably manner slanting outwardly and downwardly from the holding portion. The element may be of plastics and preferably have a uniform thickness. Alternatively the bail portions may have a somewhat decreasing width downwardly from the holding portion. Moreover, the element may if required be reinforced by an insert of metal, for instance steel.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] With reference to the accompanying drawings the device according to the invention will be explained more detailed.

[0011]FIG. 1 shows in perspective an element according to the invention, having an attachment portion, a holding portion and two bail portions which in the use position of the pole protrude downwardly from the holding portion, and the lower, free ends of the bail portions are in a certain distance from each other, and the element is adapted to be mounted on the upper portion of a ski pole handle.

[0012]FIG. 2 shows partly in section a ski pole handle including the element according to the invention, mounted by insertion of the attachment portion in an aperture in the handle.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The element 2 comprises, as shown in FIG. 1, an attachment portion 2′, a holding portion 2″ and two bail portions 2′″. This element 2 can be formed by an originally planar piece of material, for instance of plastics of a suitable thickness, or it can be cast. Among possible suitable plastics can, without constituting any limitation, be mentioned polycarbonate, polypropylene and polyamide. In the finished, formed element 2 the attachment portion 2′ and the holding portion 2″ are normally angled relatively to each other, while the two bail portions 2′″ protrude downwardly from the holding portion 2″, firstly extending away from each other and thereupon being bent towards each other with the free ends. The bail portions 2′″ are resilient and shaped such that they form a strap like member which during use completely or partly can surround an area near the wrist of a user. The space between the bail portions 2′″, when these are in a relaxed state, is preferably somewhat spacious relatively to the wrist of the user, in order to give room for a glove or a mitten.

[0014] The element 2 may, as shown, be attached in a pole handle 1 by insertion of the attachment portion 2′ in an aperture 3 formed in the handle 1. The aperture 3 is situated such that the holding portion 2″, upon mounting of the element 2, may lie against the upper side of the hand gripping the handle. Moreover, the attachment can be made by utilizing such apertures 3 which usually are adapted for mounting of a wrist strap on the handle 1. In inserted position the attachment portion 2′ can be locked in any manner by means of locking means 5. An appropriate locking means may be a screw 5 or a pin inserted through a hole 4 in the attachment portion 2″. Alternatively the locking can take place by glueing. If the aperture has a larger height than the thickness of the attachment portion 2′, a wedge piece 10 can be used which fills the aperture 3 and which possibly clamps the attachment portion 2 against one of the walls in the aperture 3.

[0015] The shown and described attachment of the element 2 is, however, of minor importance, and many solutions are feasible, such as the attachment 2′ portion having a ring or hood shaped portion threaded down on the handle 1, or that the attachment portion 2′ is glued to the handle 1 or to a separate, upper knob on the handle 1.

[0016] The holding portion 2″, which upon the attachment protrudes outwardly from the handle 1 and rearwardly relatively to the direction of motion, may be mainly planar or possibly somewhat curved. Though an appropriate circumferential shape of the holding portion 2″ is approximately oval, trapezoidal or rectangular with rounded corners, it will be appreciated that it may be varied within wide limits. The element 2 preferably has uniform thickness, but it may also have varying thickness or longitudinal ribs for stiffening, for instance along the entire or parts of the attachment portion 2′ and/or holding portion 2″. Moreover, the element 2 may be reinforced by an insert of metal, for instance steel. Such reinforcements may for instance be topical if there is a need for an element 2 having a smaller thickness at the attachment portion 2′. The reinforcement will then be situated such that it at least extends in a transition zone between the attachment portion 2′ and the holding portion 2″.

[0017] The bail portions 2′″ extend, as shown in FIG. 1, outwardly from the end of the holding portion 2″ oppositely of the attachment portion 2′, and are sloping in a suitable manner outwardly and thereupon towards each other. Seen from the side (transversely of the direction of motion, the bail portions 2′″ may be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the handle. Prior to the forming of a planar blank for the element 2 the course of the bail portions 2′″ can be rectilinear or curved or a combination thereof. The bail portions 2′″ may have a uniform width, or the width may vary as required. In particular by a suitable variation of the length of the bail portions 2′″ the element 2 being formed can be adapted to different types of skiing gloves. It is, moreover, not any absolute presupposition that the bail portions 2′″ must be situated exactly at the end of the holding portion 2″, as they may protrude from the holding portion 2″ somewhat closer to the attachment portion 2′.

[0018]FIG. 2 shows a ski pole handle 1, which in the embodiment shown is an alpine handle. The handle 1 comprises in a known manner a bore or recess 9 for mounting on a pole. In the example shown the element 2 is locked by a fastening means of a known type, for instance such as used for a wrist strap, and comprising an upper plate 8 having two protruding pins 5 and 7 adapted to be inserted in bores in the upper end of the handle 1.

[0019] The element is inserted in an aperture 3 in the handle 1, whereby the attachment portion 2′ is situated inside the aperture 3, while the holding portion 2″ protrudes outwardly from the handle 1 above the hand gripping the handle. The attachment portion 2′ has a hole which in the inserted position is coinciding with the bore 6 for the pin 5. The pin 5 on the plate 8 is inserted through the hole in the attachment portion 2′ and the bore 6 in the handle 5. The hole in the attachment portion 2′ may have a reinforcement, for instance an eye (not shown). The pin 7 is merely an auxiliary part, which possibly may have a thickening in order to secure fastening of the plate 8 to the remainder of the handle 1, in that the thickening causes a pressure against the bore in the handle 1.

[0020] The element 2 may also be mounted on handles which do not have any upper plate with a pin. In some of these is used a screw for fastening of the strap, and such a screw can be utilized for attachment of an element according to the invention. For instance by supplementary mounting of such an element the screw is screwed out, the element is inserted in the opening for the strap, and the screw is screwed in once more.

[0021] It will appear that the two bail portions 2′″ having flexural elasticity will yield if exposed to a jerk, as for instance when the pole disc gets stuck in a stationary object when the user is at speed, and that the handle thereby may get loose from the hand or the glove in that the bail portions 2′″ flex, whereby the user avoids damages resulting from a powerful jerk in the arm.

[0022] The invention is not limited to use on poles for alpine sport, but may be used on ski poles for other types of sport such as telemark skiing, bump skiing, extreme-speed skiing. Plastics, possibly combined with metal, or alternatively only metal, does not constitute any limitation with regard to materials, as other materials may also be used, such as for instance rubber. 

1. A device for use on ski pole handles (1), in particular for alpine poles, in order to contribute to keeping the handle (1) against the hand of the user, comprising an element (2) having an attachment portion (2′) which is fastened to an upper portion of the handle (1) and a holding portion (2″) protruding outwardly from the handle (1), characterized in that the element (2) comprises, as a continuation of the holding portion (2′″) mainly oppositely of the attachment portion (2′), two in the use position of the pole downwardly protruding bail portions (2′″) having flexural elasticity, and being shaped such that they together completely or partly can surround an area near the wrist of the user.
 2. A device as specified in claim 1, in which the bail portions (2′″) approximately have is the shape of a ring being open in the lower part.
 3. A device as specified in claim 1 or 2, in which the bail portions (2′″) mainly have a uniform width.
 4. A device as specified in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the element (2) is of plastics and mainly has a uniform thickness in the longitudinal direction.
 5. A device as specified in claim 4, in which the element (2) is reinforced with an insert of metal, for instance steel, at least in the transition between the attachment portion (2′) and the holding portion (2″).
 6. A device as specified in any of the claims 1-5, in which the attachment portion (2′) has a hole (4) for fastening means, such as a pin (5) or a screw. 